This week Apple’s new wave of products began to arrive in the hands of customers alongside publication of reviews. Meanwhile the company has turned its attention to its upcoming 50th anniversary on the 1st of April. In other news, rumoured updates to current smart home products like the HomePod and Apple TV have apparently been delayed.
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Review Roundup 📚
MacBook Neo
The overall verdict has been overwhelmingly positive. With some reviewers going as far as to call the product disruptive. In my own testing of the MacBook Neo, I was blown away by the extraordinary build quality and the pleasantly surprising performance for its price class.
Positives:
- The A18 Pro chip is faster than expected, beating the old M1 MacBook Air in some single-core tests.
- Excellent build quality and display for a £599/$599 laptop.
- Strong battery life for a budget machine, comfortably beating many Windows laptops.
Criticisms
- Apple cut features to reach the price: no keyboard backlight, fewer ports, weaker camera, and fewer premium MacBook features. Albeit some reviews feel that these were smart cuts/
- Only 8 GB RAM base, which some reviewers say could limit longevity. But initial testing has surpassed expectations.
Possibly the most important Mac launch in years because it brings macOS to a much cheaper segment. Critics of Apple, however, have latched on to the Neo being powered by an iPhone chip. In reality, real world performance doesn’t bear that out. You can check out my own unboxing below. Stay tuned for a full review in the coming week or so.
iPhone 17e
Overall, the 17e has been received as a strong mid-range iPhone with welcome additions over the 16e. Reviews have leaned lukewarm to positive.
Positives:
- The A19 chip makes it feel fast and responsive.
- Nice additions like Magsafe and double the base storage improve value.
- Apple’s usual strengths: long software support and polished ecosystem.
Criticisms:
- Still missing some flagship features like ProMotion or extra cameras.
- Design is familiar rather than exciting. And where are the colours?!
Reviewers felt that this was a safe but compelling default iPhone for most buyers. It offers a solid overall package and many years of software updates to come extending value.
MacBook Pro M5 Pro/Max
The general consensus was that this was an incremental update albeit the product is still class leading. think that’s a fair assessment as this was a classic spec bump.
Positives:
- Huge performance gains for pro workloads, especially GPU tasks.
- Still the best laptop display and speakers in the industry.
- Apple silicon efficiency keeps battery life excellent for such powerful machines.
Criticisms:
- Mostly a chip upgrade with few, if any, major new features
- High prices remain a barrier for many users.
In general, the MacBook Pro remains the benchmark for pro laptops. But this generation is evolutionary, not revolutionary. For that we’ll likely need to wait for a rumoured redesign with an OLED touch screen later this year.
MacBook Air M5
Most reviewers felt that the MacBook Air remains the best everyday laptop. Similar to its more powerful sibling, the MacBook Pro, this was very much a spec bump.
Positives:
- The M5 chip improves performance and AI workloads.
- Base storage increase to 512 GB improves value.
- Same thin design and excellent battery life.
Criticisms:
- Design unchanged for several generations.
- Some reviewers now question its price because the Neo is so cheap.
The main takeaway? This is still the default MacBook for many, but the Neo, priced at almost half the cost of the MacBook Air, will make the Air a harder buy than in previous years.
iPad Air M4
The iPad Air received mixed reviews with some feeling it is still the sweet spot in the iPad family while others find the new model to sit in an awkward spot of Apple’s price ladder.
Positives:
- Massive performance headroom thanks to the M4 chip.
- Keeps the Air light and portable while gaining power close to the iPad Pro.
- Good value compared with the Pro models.
Criticisms:
- Still lacks some Pro features like higher-end displays.
- Some reviewers question whether most users actually need M-series power in an Air.
For many users this is the best iPad to buy. But it isn’t class leading and the name is confusing as its more powerful family member, the iPad Pro, is thinner and lighter.
Studio Display / Studio Display XDR
These new displays were praised highly overall. With reviewers calling them gorgeous but expensive.
Positives:
- The mini-LED panel of the XDR delivers extremely high brightness and contrast.
- 5K resolution and color accuracy make it ideal for creative work.
- Seamless integration with Macs and iPads.
Criticisms
- Very expensive, especially for the XDR version.
- Some reviewers commented on the aging panel tech of the standard model.
- The standard Studio Display was a modest update over the first generation
The Studio Display XDR to some reviewers is the best monitor Apple has ever made, but clearly aimed at professionals. While the Studio Display while still gorgeous, was an underwhelming update and remains too expensive for the panel Apple is using.
50th Anniversary Plans 🎂
Apple will turn 50 on the 1st of April 2026, marking fives decades since the company was founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne in 1976. It’s being treated as a major cultural milestone and not just a product launch moment.
Apple has confirmed it will mark the anniversary with various celebrations and events but at the moment details haven’t been revealed. What we do know:
- There will be company wide celebrations acknowledging Apple’s history and impact.
- CEO Tim Cook told employees to “stay tuned” for the plans.
- Events recognising Apple’s employees, developers and customers who helped build the company are set to take place
Tim Cook has also been interviewed by David Pogue for CBS. Well worth a watch:
In just the last couple of days, Tim Cook also published an open letter on Apple.com. And alongside it, the company created a new Instagram account called ‘Hello Apple’ sharing bright, colourful marketing and engaging posts like iPhone durability tests.
Delays to Smart Home Plans 🏡
Apple’s plans for the smart home have been delayed somewhat, with several devices now expected to arrive later than originally planned. The most notable example is Apple’s rumoured smart home display, often described as a HomePod with a screen.
Reports suggest the hardware itself is largely ready, but Apple has chosen to delay the launch so it can debut alongside a much more capable version of Siri powered by new foundation model and Google Gemini. The goal is for the device to feel genuinely useful from day one, able to understand context, interact with apps and personal data, and act as a true hub for the home rather than just another smart speaker with a display attached.
Those same software challenges are also affecting the wider home lineup. Updated versions of HomePod and Apple TV are reportedly being held back for the same reason. Apple wants the new devices to showcase the next generation of Siri rather than launch with the current Siri which would immediately feel dated and confusing.
In practical terms that likely means that Apple will align these releases with a future iOS update and the next iPhone cycle. It is a more cautious approach, but I think it’s the right call. Apple would rather launch its smart home platform properly than rush hardware out the door before the experience is ready. Right now it would just be a review bomb.
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